Mike grogan bio – 2016

It’s hard to pin Mike Grogan’s music down into a single genre, as it touches many such as roots, folk, rock, country. But above all he writes songs with meaning and emotional impact encapsulating the basics and the complexities of the human condition.

Pennyblackmusic commented ‘If albums are a reflection of the artist, then Mike Grogan is probably a man to trust’. The material is rich in thought and conviction and is delivered with passion and sincerity. Rock Society Magazine say ‘Grogan is a talented songwriter and multi-instrumentalist and his rough hewn voice is ideally suited to the rousing nature of the material…’.

It’s no surprise that Mike Grogan’s music spans many genres as his musical background is so diverse. He began playing in rock bands when he was 16 years old as a lead vocalist and bass guitarist. His teens saw him move into other instruments such as guitar and piano.

At the height of the punk explosion in the late seventies he toured as lead vocalist and guitarist in several punk bands, The Untouchables amongst many others. Then in the early eighties he formed a post punk indie band called State of Mind who gigged extensively on the university circuit.

In the mid-eighties The Mike Grogan Band was formed which was a 7 piece touring band. A Springsteen-esque outfit it included sax and keyboards. This was a period where Grogan’s lyrical writing really came to the fore and extensive gigging helped to develop an engaging level of performance.

The late nineties and noughties saw Grogan playing in numerous bands in several different genres. Then in 2011 he stepped out as a solo artist for the first time. A fully self penned solo album was released in 2012 called ‘Heaven’s Light’ which included Francis MacNamara on Violin, Viola and Whistle and Roger Tice on Bass. This album was recorded at the Roadhouse in Hampshire and was produced by Mike Grogan and Vaughn Jones.

In 2014 the album ‘Make Me Strong’ was released. Another solo album which featured Phil Beer and Miranda Sykes (Show of Hands), Spencer Cozens (Pentangle, John Martyn, Joan Armatrading), Phil Henry (Phil Henry and Hannah Martin) and Richard Crouch. Make Me Strong was recorded at the Green Room in Upottery, Devon and was produced by Mark Tucker (Wake The Union by Show of Hands).

This album with 12 self penned songs and one written by Phil Henry, received a great deal of radio play across the UK and in Germany and received numerous great reviews. FATEA commented ‘It is an album with a real flow to it, one full of rich songs….This is a well written album, one that has songs at its heart’, pennyblackmusic said ‘Play it, trust it, and enjoy. It’s is a beast of an album’.

Grogan released an EP to coincide with the outbreak of World War One. The EP called ‘My Brave Soldier’ contained five original songs relating to that tragic series of events in history. The songs on the EP are both personal and about some of the large scale tragedies that emanated from that terrible period in our history.

During 2016 his third solo album ‘Too Many Ghosts’ was written and recorded. This album will be released officially on the 10th February, 2017 and has guest musicians such as John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick, Phil Beer, Miranda Sykes, Daniele Giovannoni, James Eller, Joseph O’Keefe and Chris Hoban. Again Mark Tucker produced this album at the ‘Green Room’ in Devon. This album will be toured in 2017 both solo and with band.